Campaigners fighting to stave off busway plans for Cambridge's 'precious' West Fields have been sent a message by a City Deal chief: don't worry, a final decision isn't being taken tomorrow.

Members of the City Deal's executive board meet tomorrow, and proposals for the busway, between Cambourne and Cambridge, will be looked at.

But its vice-chairman Cllr Francis Burkitt told the News today: “All options remain open for the Cambourne-to-Cambridge busway, and no specific decision to definitely put a busway through the West Fields will be taken at tomorrow's board meeting.

“I don't know what decisions will be taken tomorrow. We need to study the report, take account of the City Deal Assembly's and Local Liaison Forum's recommendations, and those of other groups and individuals - and listen to what the transport officers have to say.

“But I do know one thing: even if the recommended Catchment Area 3a scheme is selected to be taken forward, on its own or together with other options, that still leaves the route east of the M11 up in the air and for further analysis, discussions, debate and public consultation."

Cllr Burkitt said there were four “at least four" possible east-west routes east of the M11, and he has sent the News a graphic showing where they would go.

He said: “One would go along Charles Babbage Way in the West Cambridge site, a second along the internal road just south of Charles Babbage Way but still within the West Cambridge site, a third along the Coton Footpath, and a fourth, which has aroused much recent public comment, on the northernmost of the West Fields. None of the other West Fields are in the catchment area, so they are not affected in any way.

“Tomorrow is not the day on which one of those four, or other, route alignments will be discussed or selected. That is for a later stage.

“First, we need much more information, analysis and public debate. In particular, we'll next need to sit down with the university, as owners and developers of West Cambridge, and work out all the options for routing it through the site. We may ask them to consider variations to their site master plan and planning application, as part of that analysis. If going through West Cambridge proves possible and is agreed to be the best option, then there may be no need to go on some or all of the West Fields.

“We'll spend between November this year and May 2017 researching and debating the appropriate exact route alignments. That will be when we will fully engage with, and listen to, the Save the West Fields campaign, headed by Stephen Coates, and indeed with all other groups and individuals, and listen and weigh up all the options."